Post-match reaction to St Johnstone's 1-0 victory over Inverness.

Inverness boss Terry Butcher is considering an appeal against David Raven's sending-off which left his side down to 10 men for 78 minutes in the 1-0 Clydesdale Bank Premier League defeat by St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park which blew open the race for a Europa League spot.

Raven was shown a straight red card by referee Craig Thomson for a last -man challenge on Rowan Vine after only 12 minutes although the Saints forward was 30 yards out and seemingly chasing a ball that was running wide.

Although the 10-man visitors looked comfortable for most of the game, Saints eventually got the breakthrough in the 77th minute when Steven MacLean headed in after good work on the left by substitute Nigel Hasselbaink, on 20 minutes earlier for Gregory Tade.

Steve Lomas's side moved on to 50 points, one behind third-placed Caley and one ahead of Ross County with three games remaining.

Butcher said: "I have had one look at it and I will have another look at it to see if we want to appeal it or not.

"I think it is very, very harsh.

"The boy doesn't have control of the ball, the ball is running out to the touchline, not down the middle.

"If that is a clear goal-scoring opportunity... I can't see that."We had to readjust, which we did."Josh Meekings, 20, went to right-back, Danny Devine is 20, and Charlie Taylor is 19, so it was a very young back four but I thought they acquitted themselves very well, they were magnificent.

"We were down to 10 men for 78 minutes but we were tremendous in terms of frustrating St Johnstone, making them work hard for whatever they got and one slight mistake on the far side leads to the goal.

"My boys put in a terrific shift and if we show that in the next three matches then we have a great chance of finishing third."

Lomas had some sympathy with Butcher with regards the red card.

He said: "You can look at it two or three ways, he did put a hand on him but (it was)a little bit unfortunate, maybe the centre-half can get back but it is one of those things."

The Northern Irishman, though, was pleased to see his side keep the pressure on the two Highlands sides in the race for Europe.

"It was a great result," he said. "It keeps us in there fighting.

"It is always difficult against 10 men but even more so on that pitch.

"To be fair the ball spends more time bouncing up at your knees than it does on the ground.

"It is almost impossible on that pitch to play with any sort of quality but the lads kept plugging away and on chances probably merited the win."

MacLean was pleased to get St Johnstone back in the European mix, especially after watching Saints ignored in the post-match interviews following Ross County's 1-0 home win over Dundee United last night.

He said: "Ross County got great result and I watched the interviews afterwards and all you heard was about them trying to catch Inverness. St Johnstone never got a mention.

"We haven't been ignored but we will do our talking on the pitch.

"We are up there now, we are one point behind Inverness and we go to Dundee United next week and hope to win there and see if someone does us a favour."